Volume Two: Blood Spattered Bodhi Chapter Fourteen: An Impetuous Youth Appears Out of Nowhere

Chief Zhao squeezed into the crowd, only then realizing it wasn’t just the Huang family present. Among the throng were people from the Lin, Mi, and Yue families as well.

This was extraordinary. Chief Zhao blinked in astonishment—what on earth was happening? In a small place like Baicao Town, for four great clans to gather at once?

“The famine in the north has left people desperate. Our Ten Great Families have donated every last bit of surplus grain to give the victims a chance at survival. Yet, just as we prepared to give, this villain arrived to wreak havoc! It’s an outrage, a crime against both mortals and gods!” Huang He, standing among the crowd, spoke loudly, his voice trembling with anger and emotion, rivaling even his brother Huang Long. If Xiao Yan were present, he might muse that acting talent is indeed hereditary; had the Huang family been born a few millennia later, they would surely all be stars.

“The Ten Great Families have stood firm in the face of disaster, giving up all their surplus grain. Such righteousness deserves our respect! But compared to that, to have such a villain among us is heartbreaking!” All those present were people of the martial world, chivalrous souls, and upon hearing this, their wrath was ignited.

Chief Zhao, too, felt his blood boil, wishing he could slay the villain at once.

“A villain like this must not be allowed to continue his misdeeds!”

Many voices joined in support.

“We must stand together, expose the wicked and uphold justice! Is that not right, everyone?”

“Right! Unite, expose evil, defeat the villain!”

Chief Zhao shouted along with the crowd, “Exactly! Expose evil and uphold justice!”

This was the usual tactic of the great families: to broadcast their righteousness, then send agents among the crowd to stir things up.

Huang He smiled with satisfaction, cupped his hands, eyes brimming with tears, and spoke movingly, “You are truly heroes of boundless righteousness! I am deeply moved by your spirit today. Please accept my humble bow!”

In truth, ever since the grain donation affair had ended, the Ten Great Families, under Yue Badao’s direction, began to spread word of the event, painting Xiao Yan as the villain to justify their refusal to donate grain.

The other family members accompanying him hadn’t expected that, with Huang He’s theatrical persuasion, the effect would exceed all expectations.

Today, passing through Baicao Town, Huang He was inspired, and thus this scene unfolded.

It was, in effect, a peculiar kind of martial world bounty.

—

With the help of passionate martial world figures, even if they couldn’t kill Xiao Yan, they could at least make his life difficult.

Otherwise, everyone would think the Ten Great Families were easy targets, to be bullied at will.

“But, Master Huang He, after all this talk, I still don’t know what exactly this villain has done to provoke such outrage. How did he ruin the grain?” a martial world figure asked, puzzled.

At these words, the mood became awkward.

They had just been fired up, imagining themselves as valiant heroes defeating the villain, revered by all. Yet they didn’t even know what the villain had actually done.

“Ahem…” Huang He frowned, annoyed, wishing he could strike the fool down on the spot.

Why ask? Didn’t you see no one else is asking? Just fight!

But as a master of theatrics, he kept his composure, smiling as he fixed his gaze on the man. “Let me ask you: if someone, while you were eating, dropped a pile of excrement in your bowl, would you be angry?”

“Oh!” The man exclaimed, suddenly enlightened, then pondered for a moment before asking, “That truly is outrageous. Did he really drop excrement in Master Huang He’s food?”

Huang He was taken aback; he merely wanted to make a vivid comparison to stir up hatred, not expecting the fool to take it literally.

Or was this man here to cause trouble?

“Brother, your words…” Master Huang He tried to regain control and sway the man theatrically.

But the man slapped his forehead, as if he’d suddenly understood something crucial, and stared wide-eyed, “So, Master Huang He ate excrement, then? Or didn’t he? But…”

He spoke loudly, and the crowd instantly followed his train of thought.

Yes, exactly—everyone looked at Huang He’s face, which was alternately red and green, and it certainly seemed like he’d eaten excrement. Otherwise, why would he be so furious?

Even Chief Zhao believed it, glancing at Huang He with a strange expression, though inwardly wondering how powerful the villain must be to make a master eat excrement.

Feeling the eyes of the crowd, Master Huang He suddenly sensed something amiss; he could no longer maintain his performance, and barked in frustration, “You! Are you here to cause trouble? Who are you?”

But before he finished, the martial world figure looked innocent, then clenched his fist in righteous indignation and declared, “Forcing someone to eat excrement is truly an outrage against heaven and earth! Too much! Rest assured, Master Huang He, we will avenge you!”

Master Huang He, who had been furious, was suddenly moved by the fool’s sincerity. He sighed, patted him on the shoulder, and said, “Brother, thank you…”

—

Wait… something feels off… Has the conversation been derailed?

Only then did Master Huang He notice the strange looks from the other clan heads, and he slapped his forehead, “Wait… I haven’t eaten excrement!”

Realizing what had happened, he nervously explained to the martial world figures, “I really haven’t eaten excrement!”

“Mm, we believe you!”

They all nodded, but their eyes clearly betrayed disbelief.

“I…” Huang He was bewildered. How had things turned out like this?

After much thought, he finally realized and turned to the fool, frowning, “You… you tricked me!”

The fool’s expression was odd, as if struggling to hold back laughter, until he finally doubled over, laughing heartily.

“You! Who are you, daring to oppose my Huang family?” Huang He drew his sword, glaring coldly.

“Hahaha… Everyone, he really didn’t eat excrement…” The fool suddenly looked at the others and spoke loudly, “Have you forgotten me so soon?”

The clan heads immediately became wary, staring at the fool.

He reached up and tore off a disguise, revealing a handsome face to all.

“It’s you!”

The clan heads drew their swords in unison, pointing at the young man before them.

“Disguise technique? Who is he?” someone asked in confusion.

The young man smiled faintly, and his sword flashed from its sheath: “That’s right—the villain you speak of is my master!”